The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-06-01
POWDERLY TO THE KNIGHTS.
Patriotic and Timely Advice in Re-
gard to Celebrating Inde-
pendence Day.
To the Order wherever found, Greeting:

To the Order wherever found, Greeting:
For several years the practice of holding
demonstrations and celebrations on the Fourth
OF July has been dying out. The old and the
middle-aged are forgetting that the fourth
day of July, 1776, a nation was born and gov
eminent was inaugurated which differed from
the governments and nations of the earth, mas
much as il was 10 be a nation and a government
to be composed of the whole people, to be man.
aged ana controlled by the whole people and
the intention was that those who served the
people public officers were to act for the whole
people.
Even while the Declaration OF Independence
was being read the struggle for liberty-for free
speech, for free people and n free country
was going on. and it continued until liberty
throughout the length and breadth of the
United Colonies an established fact.
For years the citizens of the republic were
accustomed TO meet on each succeeding Fourth
Of July and celebrate the event which pro-
claimed nation born. For years the doings of
those who erected the proud structure on which
our Government rests were told and retold in
song and story.
Each Fourth of July saw tho citizens of the
republic gathered together under one-and only
one-hag, the village green or the city
square, and, amid the booming OF cannon and
beating of drums, awakened memories of the
days that tried mems souls
The speaker of the day told how the power
OF Il king gave way at the command OF the peo-
pie. Or, if no speaker could be had, one of the
celebrants read to the assembled multitude the
Declaration of Independence.
as these, but they are fast forgetting how it
was done or what it for. and the young
people not taught to respect or celebrate
the day
Such condition of affairs is wrong and I'M
patriotic.
There is one portion of our country's popula-
tion that should never cease TO remember that
they, above all others. should celebrate the
fourth day of July and keep alive the memo
ries which il recalls Those who gain large for
tunes, those who acquire large tracts of hand in
the country, and who own blocks of buildings
in our cities, are not the ones who celebrate, or
care to celebrate that day which gave to the
world q nation whose strength lay in her COM
mon people. 1t belongs, therefore, to the ones
who have not gained the most and Jared the
best under our Government, TO the common
people. to kindle once more and keep forever
alive the memories Of the struggle which de-
throned the king in royal robes and enthroned
the sovereign in homespun--which discarded
and spat upon the scepter of monarch and
honored and exalted the hammer and plow-
handle of the man OF toll
Two classes representing diverse feelings and
interests would have the com mon people forget
that we have a country or a flag. The monopo-
list and the anarchist care nothing for Ameri-
can liberty or institutions. The former, having
accumulated an immense fortune, would hail
with delight king and strong government,
andi is hopeful of q change in that direction.
The latter has either lost hope in our insttu-
tions else knows nothing about them or their
history, and would destroy both the good and
the bad in them to make way for the rule Of
nobody and nothing
Monopoly and anarchy are twin evils The
latter, by attempting to overturn all law and
order because some of our laws are not properly
administered, would give to the former the
pretext for the establishment of q strong
Government. Monarchy before anarchy would
then be the cry The watchword of the peo-
pie should be: Neither monopoly nor anarchy
shall rule IL. this cOulltry-both must 90 Men
who labor by hand or brain make up two-thirds
of our voting population. Two-thirds of the
voters can, If they honest, patriotic. and
vigilant, vote good men into Office, and good
men, If properly watched and assisted by the
will harn and nfafa Law
follows that, IL there Is anything wrong in the
affairs Of State nation we. the people, are to
blame, and We have no right to grumble or
threaten to break up the Government because
of our own neglect. What, then is our duty?
What is the duty of the Knights of Labor in
particular? 1t is to study the principles
which our Government is based and teach
others what we have learned.
1 therefore recommend that on next Fourth
OF July the members OF the order, where there
is assembly in existence, hold demonstra-
tions and celebrations in honor of the birth of q
peoples government
If other societies intend to celebrate, the
Knights join in il no other society will
celebrate, then the Knights should celebrate by
all means. In localities where a puplic demon
stration would cause some liberty hating en-
ployer to discharge his workmen, would ad-
wise that no risks be taken. Join in with other
citizens in getting up celebrations. Secure q
speaker to deliver a short address. III no speak
er can be had secure a good reader to read the
Declaration of Amer can Independence. In the
line of march and on your stands and public
Snow TO the world that matter where the
knight OF Labor citizen was born he respects
and honors the United Stntes flag Show to the
world that we are determined to find out what
is wrong in our system of government, and that
we are equally determined TO right such
wrongs as may exist. by peaceful, legitimate
means.
desire, also. that the question OF the restora-
ton of the peoples lands TO the Of the peo-
pie be discussed. Pass resolutions declaring
that the holding OF from fifty to sixty millions
of acres of the public domain by aliens is sinful
and un-American. Go further, and demand that
tho alien landlord shall let 60 his hold.
Pass resolutions declaring that every acre OF
land acquired by fraud, perjury, or chicanery,
is an acre stolen, and dem and that the thief be
required to make restitution 30 the people.
Pass resolutions never to take your eyes of
the land until one good, plain simple, honest
law shall govern the holding of land, whether
the holder be rich or poor, individual or cor
poration. Make the land for the people, under
the peoples laws, the question of the day. It
was not for air, sunshine or water alone that
our fethers fought IL for the land and we
must hold this land fire. from the shark and
speculator, whether native or alien.
This is no political question; il is a national
patriotic question aud must be understood.
Do not fear the taunts or ridiculs of any man
or set Of men. Let those who feel 50 disposed
call our demonstrations spread eagle Sun" or
Yankee Doodleism," IL they choose Give
them TO under stand that we are in earnest and
that we prefer spread-eagleisfn Co indifference.
Let IL be understood that determined
that the wings of the eagle shall hereafter
spread over a nation OF free men and women,
who own the land we live in that the wings Of
the eagle shall no longer spread over single
acre of land owned controlled by an alien
landlord or native rogue.
DO not forget TO celebrate in bccominy dig
nihed manner the one hundred and eleventh
birthday of American independence, especially
ne this year Is the centennial Anniversary of the
formation OF the Constitution under Which we
now live. T. V. PowDERLY
General Master Workman